Improvement in folding chairs



NITED STATES PATENT Ormea- FRANCIS HICKMAN, 0F READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,562, dated November 30, 1875;

application led 'september 1s, 1875.

To all whom yt may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HIGKMAN, of Beading, in the county of Berks `and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon, making a part of this specilication.

My invention relates to folding chairs; and it consists in the construction of the same entirely ot' straight pieces of material, and in such a manner that when folded the seat (which can be rigid or of iiexible material) will lie at in between the back of the chair, all as more fully hereinafter set forth. v

4In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side view. Fig. 2 represents a perspective View of a side portion ofthe chair 5 and Fig'. 3 represents a longitudinal section.

The supports for the chair consist of four (4) pieces of straight material, A A', pivoted together, and in the form of a saw-buck, and braced by the rounds b b b. The back is composed of two straight bars, B, connected by a bar at the top, and by a bar, E, at the bottom. These back bars extend suitably above and below the seat, as shown. C represents the seat, which can be of rigid material, such as wood or metal, or can be of flexible material, such as carpet, canvas, &c. This seat is pivoted at Y in between the bars B, and is also hinged by links ao, or other suitable devices to the tops of the bars A. Directly below the seat G, at each side of the chair, is a doubleacting hinge, c, which is connected at z z to the tops of the bars A and to the bars B. Upon the back edges of the bars A, just above the connecting-rounds b, a stop notch or catch, a, is attached to or formed with each bar. The backbars B extend outside of the bars A', and when the chair is in position for occupancy, the brace-bar` E of the back bears against the stops, notches, or catches a on the bars A, and supports the bars in proper position.

This chair may or may not be provided with arms. If arms are desired, either of the two styles shown can be employed.

. In the forms shown in Figs. l and a bar,-

m, is pivoted to the bar B, and an upright bar, n, is hinged or pivoted to the front of bar m. The lower end of bar n has a slot, g. On the standard A is a pin, b, which passes through the slot, so that the har n can work up and down. When this bar is down its full length its end bears against a pin on the lower back closes down upon the legs, with the seat4 in Hat position between the back-bars.

With my chair a rigid seat can be used, or,

if upholstery, dto., is used, the material does not fold, but is kept straight and stretched.

When the chairis Folded, the bars which support it, and the back-bars, are on parallel `lines with the seat in the back.

The double-acting hinges c accommodate themselves to the position-of parts both in opening and closing.

This chair can be cheaply constructed, and when folded closes into a small compass, and is not liable to be easily broken in transportation.

Having thus fully describedvmy invention, what I claim is- The combination of the legs A', having catching devices a, and connected by links to the frontof the seat G, the legs A hinged to the bars B, the seat G pivoted tothe backbars B, andthe extended back-bars B having brace 'E,.for engaging with the catches a, all

lsubstantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of August, 1875. j

FRANCIS Y HICKMAN. 

